Interlocking switch and signal machine



(No Model.) l I J. T. OADB. INTERLOGKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL MACHINE. No.568,333. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT IQFFIQE.

JOHN T. OADE, OF AROOLA, NE\V JERSEY.

lNTERLOCKlN-G SWITCH AND SIG NAL MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,333, datedSeptember 29, 1896.

' Application filed-November 19,1895. Serial No. 559,457. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. CADE, a subj ect of Her Majesty the Queen ofGreat Britain, and a resident of Arcola, in the county of Bergen andState of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Interlocking Switch and Signal Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in interlocking switch and signalmachines, and comprises certain novel mechanical features intermediatethe hand-levers and the switch, signal, or look operatingground-rods,whereby by mechanical means the piston-rod of eachpower-cylinder is locked at each end of its stroke and so maintaineduntil the hand-lever and cylinder-ports are in position and condition torender the further movement of said rod proper and desirable, andthereby, also by mechanical means, the operator, while moving thehand-lever to apply the power which is to move the switch, signal, orlock, may be instantly apprised whether the piston-rod and powermechanism are in position and condition to do their work or haveperformed their desired duty.

The nature, operation, and scope of the invention will be fullyunderstood from the detailed description and claims hereinafterpresented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section through a signal-tower, showing oneoperating hand-lever and all the necessary mechanism intermediate thesame and the rod leading to the switch, signal, or lock, the cylinder,valve-chest, and valve therein, whereby the power is applied to move thepiston and devices intermediate the same, and the switch, signal, orlock being in section. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of aportion of the piston-rod and the means whereby it is locked at each endof its movement and prevented from moving except upon the existence ofproper conditions. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of theadjoining portions of one each of the tappetbars, locking-bars, andhand-levers. Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the bed oftappet-bars, locking-bars, and handlevers, the latter being in section.Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of one of the bracketssupporting the locking-bars,

two of the latter being shown in position in section and two in endelevation and a tappet-bar being illustrated in position between theupper and lower locking-bars. a top view of a portion of one of theaforesaid supporting-brackets, showing a portion of a tappet-bar andlocking-bar. Fig. '7 is a detached elevation, partly in section andpartly broken away, of a group ofoperating-levers, tappet-bars, andlocking-bars. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the tower with the powercylinders therein and connections therefrom for operating thesignals,'switch, and lock. Fig. 9 is a like View of same, butillustrating the power-cylinders without the tower but adjacent thereto;and Fig. 10 is a like view, but showing the power-cylinders at pointsadjacent to the signals, switch, and lock to be operated.

In the employment of my invention no change in the usual ground-rodsleading to the signals, switches, or locks becomes necessary, these rodsbeing of usual or suitable form and construction and not being,therefore, specially referred to hereinafter further than necessary torender the parts comprising the invention thoroughly understood.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated one of the operating hand-levers with theproper power, locking, and telltale mechanism intermediate it and theground-rod, and in practical use there will be a group of thesehand-levers arranged side by side, and each lever will have intermediateit and its ground-rod the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 with respectto the lever there shown.

In the drawings, A designates the usual tower; B,the hand-lever; O, theground-rod, and D the power-cylinder, whose piston E is controlled inits movement by the hand-lever and actuates at the proper time thegroundrod 0 and through it and its connections the signal, switch, orlook to which it may lead.

The means for locking the levers B against improper movement comprisesthe series of tappets or tappet-bars F and the series of locking-bars G,the latter traversing the tappet-bars at right angles to the latter andbeing, if preferred, in double series, with one series above and theother below the tappetbars, as more clearly indicated in Figs. 5 and '7.The tappet-bars F and locking-bars G are Fig. 5 is severally adapted tobe reeiprocated in line with their length, the tappet-bars receivingtheir motion directly from the hand-levers B, to which they arepivotally connected, and the locking-bars Gr being moved from thetappet-bars through the medium of the operatingcams II on the latterengaging said bars G, as hereinafter explained. The lockingbars aresupported in the brackets I, as many of the latter as necessary beingemployed. The upper edge of the brackets I are formed with pockets J toreceive the bars G, and also with a retainingplate K, (see Fig. 5,) bywhich the bars G are preserved in position. At the base of the pockets Jare formed the recesses L, within which are placed the balls or rollersM to support and facilitate the easy movement of the locking-bars G. Thebars G are frequently of considerable length, and their movement iseifected wholly by the manual force applied by the operator to thelevers B, and hence the recesses L and balls or rollers M becomefeatures of importance and highly desirable, particularly when it isremembered that the bars at many stations are moved hundreds of times aday. The balls M of spherical outline may be used, or elongated rollersmay be substituted for the balls, the balls and rollers beingequivalents in this relation for one another.

The tappet-bars F are provided with the actuatingcams II above referredto, said cams being in the form of a slot or groove, as shown at (t, orin relief, as shown at h, and the side surfaces of the said cams,however constructed, forming inclines, which act against pins orprojections on the bars G to move the latter. \Vhen the cams H are inthe form of slots or grooves, the bars G- will be provided with the pins0 to engage the same, and when said cams II are in relief the bars Gwillhave the projections P to engage the opposite sides of same, asindicated in Figs. 3 and 4.. \Vhen a tappet-bar F is moved by the leverB, the cam II 011 said bar will move the bar G engaged thereby by adirect positive unfailing action. While I do not limit the invention toany special outline of cam II, I regard the form of cam shown as ofspecial importance when employed in a machine embodying the mechanismillustrated in Fig. 1, intermediate the hand-lever l3 and power-cylinderI), for the reasons fully explained hereinafter. The tappet'bars F andlocking'bars G are respectively provided on their edges with the lockingrecesses and dogs Q R, which are usual with this class of machines andneed not be specifically described.

Referring to my invention, attention is directed to Fig. 1, wherein itwill be seen that the lower end of the pivoted hand-lever B is providedwith a cranlcarm S, to which is pivotally connected the rod T, carryingthe pin V and pivotally connected with one arm of the bell-crank leverW", whose other arm, by means of a link X, is connected with the slideY, having the lugs (Z c. The pin V is free between the arms f g at oneend of the pivoted lever h, Whose other end is pivotally connected withand actuates the valve-rod t', which passes into the chest 7' and issuitably connected with the valve 7r; to operate the latter.

The cylinder 1), to which the chest is connected, is of well-known formand is provided with the customary end ports m n and ex haust-port q andwill be used in connection with air, steam, or other power-generatingfluid. The piston E is also of well-known or suitable form andconstruction and is connected with arod 0', whose outer end is, by meansof a bell-crank lover 8, connected with the ground-rod (l. The rod 1' isprovided adjacent to the slide Y with the recessest a, which are adaptedto respectively engage the lugs e d.

In the operation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 if it should bedesired to reverse the position of the signal, for instance, by drawingthe ground-rod O to the right, the operator on the second floor of thetower will draw the lever B toward him and to the position illustratedby the dotted line in Fig. 1. The movement of the leverBto the rightcauses the crank-arm S to draw upward on the rod T and through said rodT and the bell-crank lever \V to draw the link X and slide Y to the leftuntil the stud d has escaped from the recess a in the piston-rod 9-,whereby the latter is left free to act under the influence of the air orsteam that maybe admitted to the cylinder 1) above the piston E. Thefirst part of the upward movement of the rod T has no effect upon thelever 76, rod 2', and valve 7a, since the pin V, carried by the rod T,is free between the arms f g of the lever h and ascends a definitedistance before coming into contact with the arm f, and it is duringthis limited upward movement of the rod T prior to the pin V strikingthe arm f that the stud (Z is withdrawn from the recess a, and thepiston-rod 9' thereby freed. As soon as therod T has ascendedsufficiently for the pin V to strike the arm f of the lever h thecontact of said pin with said arm operates to turn the said lever 7tupon its pivotal bearing and to depress the rod t' and valve 7c, theresult being that the compressed air or steam will pass from the chest jinto the upper end of the cylinder D through the port m, while thecompressed air or steam which has been below the piston E will exhaustthrough the ports 71 7. Thus the piston E, upon the valve having beenmoved, as described, will instantly descend with the rod 0' and causethe bell-crank lever s to actuate the ground-rod O and the signal,switch, or look that may be connected therewith. The continued movementof the handlever 13 toward the right, acting through the rod T,bell-crank \V, and link X, draws the slide Y toward the leftsufficiently for the studon said slide to enter the recess 25 in the rod0', whereby said rod is locked in its IOO lower position. It is to benoted, therefore, that the first part of the movement of the lever Btoward the right eifects the withdrawal of the stud d from the recess ain the piston-rod and unlocks the latter; that the next portion of themovement of the said lever B toward the right results in the pin Vactuating the lever h and rod 1' to move the valve 70, wherebythecompressed air or steam is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder Dand exhausted from the lower end thereof, and the piston and rod causedto descend and actuate the rod 0, and that the final part of themovement of the said leverBto the right causes the stud e'to engage therecess in said piston-rod, the latter having descended to its lowerposition. The stud d in connection with the recess it looks the rod r inits upper position, and the stud e in connect-ion with the recess 15looks the said rod in its lower position. 4

Upon the reversal of the movement of the hand-lever B or its movementfrom the right to the left, looking at Fig. 1, the first part of itsmovement will, through the rod T, bellcrank XV, and link X, cause theslide Y to move toward the right sufliciently to free the stud e fromthe recess 25, thereby unlocking the rod 1, and the next portion of themovem ent of said lever B toward the left will cause the pin V to strikethe arm 9 and turn the lever h to the position in which it isillustrated in Fig. 1, thereby elevating the rod '5 and valve 70 for thepurpose of opening the port 02 to lower the end of the cylinder D andexhaustingthe air or steam from the upper end of said cylinder throughthe ports m g, whereby the piston E and rod 4" are caused to immediatelyascend and actuate the groundrod 0 and the devices connected therewith,while the latter portion of the movement of the said lever B toward theleft causes the stud (l to enter the recess a in said rod and lock thelatterin its upward position,as shown.

The studs (1 e, adapted for engagement, respectively, with the recessesu t, are of very great importance. The stud d locks the rod r in itsupward position until such time as the operator may manually move theproper lever B sufficiently to withdraw the stud from the recess n. Thusthe operator on the second floor of the tower has positive knowledgethat the rod rand piston E are in their upward position at the time whenit is desired that they shall be in that position. When the piston E androd 4 ascend to their upward position, the stud d may enter the recessto; but unless'the said piston and rod have ascended under the influenceof the mechanism set in motion by the lever B the stud cl cannot enterthe recess u, but will strike against the outer edge of the pistonrodand prevent the lever B from moving to its full position, whereby theoperator is apprised that the machinery is not in perfect working order,and that the parts connected with the cylinder D are not in condition tooperate. The inability'of the stud d to enter the recess u is anassurance directly conveyed to the operator that the mechanism is out ofworking order and requires attention. I The stud 6, when the piston-roda" is in its lower position, may enter the recess and lock the rod 4";but if for any reason the piston and rod have not made their descent tooperate the switch, lock, or signal, or, in otherwords, have notresponded to the movement of the lever B, the stud 6 cannot enter therecess t, and hence the operator will instantly know that the mechanismis not performing its duty. The studs d ethus not only serve,respectively, to lock the rod 2' in its upper and lower positions,butconstitute telltale devices, by which the operator on the second floorof the tower is instantly apprised of any failure of the mechanicalparts to perform their proper functions.

The power necessary for moving the groundrod' 0 and its connections isderived from the compressed air, steam, or other fluid which enters thepower-cylinder D, and hence itwill be observed that the only physicalforce necessary to be exerted by the operator is that applied in movingthe lever B and through said lever the tappet-bar, valve 75,

and slide Y, and the movement of these parts is rendered convenient andeasy by the nature of the connections intermediate the lever B and thevalve 7c and slide Y, and also by the arrangement of the cams H on thetappetbars F and the rollers M below the lockingbars G. A very lightforce applied to the lever B will move the valve 10 and slide Y, and,owing to the direct positive action of the cams H on the tappet-bars F,the latter may be readily and conveniently moved and their motiontransmitted through the said cams to the locking-bars. The cams H arecomposed of the inclined surfaces at and b" and the plain surfaces 0,the latter being intermediate the inclined surfaces a b and parallelwith the longitudinal edges of the tappet-bars. D urin g that portion ofthe movement of the lever B which results in the unlocking of thepiston-rod r one of the inclined surfaces of the cam H will move againstthe engaging pin 0 or projections P, according to which is employed, andstart the movement of the locking-bar, and at this time it will beobserved that the force of the operator is only consumed in the partialmovement of the slide Y, tappet-bar F, and locking-bar G. During thecontinued movement of the lever B to cause the pin V to actuate thelever h and depress the rod 5 and valve the plain parallel surfaces 0 ofthe cam 1-1 will move along the pin 0 or projections P without anytendency to move the lockingbar G. Thus during this second part of themovement of the lever B the force of the operator, acting through thelever B, is expended in simply moving the valve 70 and tappet-bar F, thelatter at such time being practically free. During the latter part ofthe movement of the lever B the piston-rod is locked at the end of itsstroke and one of the inclined surfaces of the cam H acts upon thelocking-bar Gr to move it to complete its action. Thus during the latterpart of the movement of the lever B the strength of the operator isconsumed only to the extent of lockin g the rod 0' and finishing themovement of the locking-bar G. It will thus be observed that not only isthe force necessary to move the ground-rods derived from thepower-cylinder D and relieved from the operator, but that the forcenecessary to set the power-cylinder in operation and the tappet andlooking bars in motion is so distributed with respect to each other thatthe entire force of the operator is not expended at one time to eiiectthe complete simultaneous movement of all of the parts referred to, butis, as above described, practically in succession applied to move firstone and then another part during a continued motion of the lever B.

lVhile I regard the special form of cam II when used in connection withthe special arrangement of mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 as of specialimportance, I do not limit the invention to the cams II.

Each of the levers B is provided with the mechanism illustrated in F 1,and connected with one of the tappet-bars F. I11 Fig. 1 thepower-cylinder D and its connections are illustrated as being within thetower A and directly below the second floor thereof, but it is to beunderstood that I do not limit the invention to the placing of thecylinders D directly within the tower A, since they may be placeddirectly without the tower, as illustrated in Fig. 9, or adjacent to thepoints at which the signals, lock, and switch may be placed, asillustrated in Fig. 10.

In Figs. 8, D, and 10, A A designate the distant signals; B I3, the homesignals; 0, a switch, and D a facing-point lock, all of these featuresbeing of well-known form and construction. In view of the fact that thepower cylinders D may be arranged at the various points above referredto, it will be obvious that the invention is not confined to the specialform or arrangement of rods and levers illustrated in Fig. 1, sincethese will necessarily change to meet the various localities whichcircumstances may render necessary or desirable for the cylinders D. henconvenient, the cylinders D will be arranged with respect to the leversB in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, and the slide Y will be arrangedto directly engage the piston-rod. \Vhen necessary or desirable,however, the slide Y may indirectly engage the piston-rod by beingarranged to directly engage some movable part of mechanism intermediatethe piston-rod and the lock, switch, or signal to be actuated thereby.

'ithout therefore limiting myself to the details of construction orspecial arrangement of parts shown and described, what I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described, the hand-lever, and thepower-cylinder, combined with mechanism intermediate the said cylinderand lever for operating the former from the latter, the ground-rodconnected with the piston-rod of said cylinder, and means independentlyand directlyconnected with and directly and manually actuated from thehand'lever for locking the piston-rod at each end of its movement;substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the character described, the hand-lever B, thetappet-bar pivotally secured to said lever and having the cam II, andthe locking-bar directly engaging the said cam, combined with thepower-cylinder, having its piston-rod provided with a recess,connections intermediate said cylinder and lever for operating theformer from the latter, the slide having a projection for engagementwith said recess, and connections intermediate said slide and lever fordirectly operating the former from the latter; substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

3. In a machine of the character described the hand-lever having thecrank S, the rod T connected with said crank, the power-cylinder Dhaving the valve-rod '11, the rocking lever 7L connected with the rod 2'and arranged to be engaged by the said rod T, and the slide Y having theprojections (Z, c, and connected with said rod T, combined with thepistonrod of said cylinder having recesses to be engaged by said studsd, e, and the ground'rod connected with said piston-rod; substantiallyas set forth.

4. In a machine of the character described, the hand-lever, thepower-cylinder, and suitable conneetions intermediate said cylinder andlever and said cylinder and the signal or other device to be actuated,combined with means independently and directly connected with anddirectly and manually operated by said lever for engaging anddisengaging a movable part of the mechanism intermediate said cylinderand the device operated upon at the opposite ends of the movement ofsaid part; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a machine of the character described, the hand-lever, thepmver-cylinder, mechanism intermediate said lever and cylinder foroperating the latter from the former, and the ground-rod connected withthe piston-rod of said cylinder, combined with means independently anddirectly connected with and directly and manually operated by saidhandlever for locking said piston-rod at the end of its stroke;substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a machine of the character described, the hand-lever, thepower-cylinder having its piston-rod provided with recesses t, u, andconnections intermediate said cylinder and IIO lever for operating theformer from the latter, combined with the slide having projections d, e,for engagement with said recesses, and connections intermediate saidslide and lever for operating the former from the latter; substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the hand-lever, thepower-cylinder having its piston-rod provided with a recess, andconnections intermediate said cylinder and lever for operating theformer from the latter, combined with the slide having a projection forengagement with said recess, and connections intermediate said slide andlever for operat ing the former from the latter; substantially I 5 asand for the purposes described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 16th day of November, A. D. 1895.

JOHN T. OADE.

Vitnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, E. Jos. BELKNAP.

